CASE PROCESSING PROCEDURES; DEFERRAL TO ARBITRATION – Pre-Arbitration

Single Topic for Decision 2332E

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Contractual limitation on the scope of an arbitrator’s authority to fully remedy contract violations that are also unfair practices could render resort to arbitration futile within the meaning of EERA section 3541.5(a)(2). A dispute over whether a contractual provision is an express term of the parties’ collective bargaining agreement or not fails to meet the statutory requirement of EERA section 3541.5(a)(2) that the grievance machinery cover “the matter at issue” for deferral purposes. When asking an arbitrator to decide whether a collective bargaining agreement contains a particular provision would exceed the arbitrator’s authority, resort to arbitration would be futile under EERA section 3541.5(a)(2). Resort to arbitration would be futile under EERA section 3541.5(a)(2) when a union lacks authority under the relevant contract to pursue grievances in its own name for the disputed matters.